August 27, 2007

South Korea resumes US beef imports but bans five US companies

South Korea said on Friday it would end its effective ban on US beef imports, but bans on five companies it deems at-risk remain.

South Korea, which was the third-largest overseas market for US beef, effectively blocked US imports in early August by suspending quarantine inspections after finding a prohibited spinal column in a beef shipment from Cargill.

The decision to resume imports came after South Korea received assurances from the United States on safety inspections, Lee Sang-kil, head of the agriculture ministry's livestock bureau, told reporters on Friday (Aug 24).

A total of 6,800 tonnes of beef sitting in South Korea's warehouses would be put on the market after an inspection, the ministry said.

However, beef supplies from Cargill, the company that shipped the spinal material, would continued to be banned along with four other importers deemed risky by the South Korean authorities.

Beef imported from the 30 other authorized plants would still be allowed.

Although current shipments do not allow bone-in beef, negotiations and reviews to lift that restriction have begun and the US may be able to include bone-in beef in shipments as early as September.

Beef with ribs, was a popular Korean dish and took up a significant portion of US beef imports before US beef was banned from South Korea in 2003.